Detailed Project Report (DPR) on Graphite Crucible (Capacity: 1.5 MT/Day)

GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

[EIRI/EDPR/4574] J.C.: 2791INR, 2791US$

INTRODUCTION

Refractories are manufactured from naturally occurring substances in the earth’s crust- graphite. Graphite materials do not occur in their pure form hence needs some treatment before manufacturing. Initial processing may include an extensive survey of the deposit, selective mining, stockpiling by grade, and beneficiation techniques such as weathering, grinding, washing, heavy media separation, froth flotation etc are employed.

Though some can be used without pre-processing, many must be subjected to heat treatment. Calcination is also carried out in some of the pre-treatment. Originally, calcinations refer specifically to the treatment of calcareous minerals to remove CO2. The term has come to be used to indicate heat treatment to sinter or burn (dead burn) the refractory grain to stable dense material as well as to decompose minerals. The materials obtained after calcinations are hard burnt materials and they are called grain, clinker or grog.

Graphite is an allotrope of carbon and it is gray to black, opaque, very soft, has a low density and a metallic lustre. It is flexible and exhibits both metallic and nonmetallic properties, making it suitable for diverse industrial applications.

Global natural graphite production is approximately 1 to 1.2 million tonnes (Mt) per annum, of which flake graphite is estimated to be about 600-800 kt per year, amorphous graphite about 300 kt and vein graphite around 4 kt. The leading world producers of flake graphite in 2018 were China and Brazil. Mozambique is ramping up production significantly, having produced around 0.1 Mt in 2018, it is anticipated to overtake Brazil and become the second largest global producer in 2019.

China is also seeing increased flake graphite production, mainly from Heilongjiang Province, to supply the battery anode market. The major uses of graphite are in refractories, batteries, expandable graphite, plus brake linings, lubricants and steelmaking and foundry operations.

At Superbmelt, we produce our crucibles from graphite made from processing petroleum coke and pitch coke. The graphite used in the manufacturing of crucibles go through some degree of processing with our sophisticated equipment, dedicated for such a function. The primary components of our graphite are:

Pitch coke (produced from coal tar that appears during coke production). Pitch coke is manufactured by coking the destructive distillation of coal tar pitch from high purity carbon residue. It has high content of carbon and low content of sulphur and ash. Pitch coke also has high thermal conductivity. It is a byproduct of coal gas manufacturing.

Petroleum coke (petcoke) is the gray-to-black solid carbonaceous residue left by the destructive distillation of petroleum residua. Petcoke is used in the production of graphite, smelting and chemical industries.

A graphite crucible is a container made of graphite and it is used to melt and hold metals. They can be used at temperatures of up to 1600 degrees celsius and are suitable for refining and melting precious metals and base metals and other products. The graphite crucible is the crucible of choice for many users due to its outstanding properties, which include:

High thermal conductivity: 

Due to the use of graphite, and other raw materials in high thermal conductivity, it ensures good thermal conductivity, shortens the time to melt and reduces energy consumption.

Heat shock resistance: 

The heat shock performance of graphite crucible is strong, it is not easy to break for the urgent cold, urgent heat and any process.

High heat resistance: 

Graphite crucibles have figures as high temperature and it is high temperature resistant 1200 to 1600 degree celsius.

Corrosion resistance: 

Uniform and fine matrix design graphite of crucible make it strong to erosion against melt and delay the erosion degree of the product.

The production technology and quality assurance system of high pressure forming method of graphite crucible fully guarantee the stability of the melting quality.

COST ESTIMATION

Plant Capacity            1.5 MT/Day  

Land & Building (4000 sq.mt.)    Rs. 2.23 Cr    

Plant & Machinery                    Rs. 52 Lac 

Working Capital for 2 Months    Rs. 94 Lac 

Total Capital Investment          Rs. 3.92 Cr 

Rate of Return                          43%

Break Even Point                      55%

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

HIGH THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY:

HEAT SHOCK RESISTANCE:

HIGH HEAT RESISTANCE:

CORROSION RESISTANCE:

ANTI-MECHANICAL SHOCK:

OXIDATION RESISTANCE:

ANTI ADHESION:

RESISTANCE TO SLAG REMOVAL:

ACID RESISTANCE:

QUALITY STABILITY:

USES AND APPLICATION OF GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

FUEL FIRED FURNACE

TAPERED GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

ELECTRIC RESISTANCE FURNACE

GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

INDUCTION FURNACE

SILICON CARBIDE GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

REMOVABLE CRUCIBLE FURNACES

HAND POURING SHANK

TILTING FURNACE

TILTING FURNACE CRUCIBLE

PIT FURNACE

PIT FURNACE

METALS MELTED IN GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE METALS

COPPER

MELTED COPPER

ALUMINUM

MOLTEN ALUMINUM

GOLD

MELTED GOLD

SILVER

MELTED SILVER

BRASS

BRASS

FORM OF GRAPHITE

SYNTHETIC GRAPHITE

GRAPHITE ELECTRODES

NUCLEAR GRAPHITE

COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

NATURAL GRAPHITE

PENCIL LEAD

REFRACTORIES

BATTERIES

STEELMAKING

BRAKE LININGS

FOUNDRY

TECHNICAL DETAILS OF GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE MANUFACTURE

PRODUCTION OF SYNTHETIC GRAPHITE

POWDER PREPARATION

SHAPE FORMING

EXTRUSION:

VIBRATION:

ISOSTATIC:

BAKING

PITCH IMPREGNATION

GRAPHITIZATION

PRODUCTION WITH NATURAL GRAPHITE

SILICON CARBIDE

SILICON CARBIDE POWDER

GRAPHITE

GRAPHITE FLAKES

MIXING AND BONDING

KNEADING MACHINE

MOLDING

HAND:

ROTARY:

COMPRESSION:

COKING

IMPREGNATION

GLAZING

KILN

SHUTTLE KILN

TESTING

QUALITY:

DURABILITY:

TEMPERATURE:

MEASURING:

FINAL FINISHING

MANUFACTURE OF GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

ISOSTATIC PRESSING

ISOSTATIC MOLDING

COMPRESSION MOLDING

COMPRESSION MOLDING

VIBRATION MOLDING

CARE OF GRAPHITE CRUCIBLES

INSPECTION

STACKING

IMPROPERLY STACKED CRUCIBLES

THERMAL SHOCK

CHARGING

CRUCIBLE CRACKED BY BEING PACKED TOO TIGHTLY

FLUX

DIRECT FLAME

DAMAGE CAUSED BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE BURNER FLAME

DROSS

CLEANING

TEMPERATURE LIMIT

PREHEATING

CRUCIBLE TONGS

PROCESS LEVELS FOR SUPERMELT GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

MOULDED GRAPHITE PROCESS

ISOSTATIC PRESSED GRAPHITE PROCESS

MEDIUM COARSE GRAPHITE PROCESS

PRECISION CNC MACHINING

TESTING

MAXIMIZE CRUCIBLE SERVICE LIFE

MARKET OVERVIEW OF GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

TOP FEATURED COMPANIES DOMINATING THE GLOBAL 

   GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE MARKET

PRODUCT DEFINITION:

SILICON CARBIDE (SIC) CRUCIBLES:

CLAY-GRAPHITE CRUCIBLES:

REGIONAL ANALYSIS:

GROWTH FACTORS:

FORMULATION OF GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE

PRINCIPLES OF PLANT LAYOUT

STORAGE LAYOUT:

EQUIPMENT LAYOUT:

SAFETY:

PLANT EXPANSION:

FLOOR SPACE:

UTILITIES SERVICING:

BUILDING:

MATERIAL-HANDLING EQUIPMENT:

RAILROADS AND ROADS:

MAJOR PROVISIONS IN ROAD PLANNING FOR MULTIPURPOSE SERVICE ARE:

PLANT LOCATION FACTORS

PRIMARY FACTORS

1. RAW-MATERIAL SUPPLY:

2. MARKETS:

3. POWER AND FUEL SUPPLY:

4. WATER SUPPLY:

5. CLIMATE:

SPECIFIC FACTORS

6. TRANSPORTATION:

A. AVAILABILITY OF VARIOUS SERVICES AND PROJECTED RATES

7. WASTE DISPOSAL:

8. LABOR:

9. REGULATORY LAWS:

10. TAXES:

11. SITE CHARACTERISTICS:

12. COMMUNITY FACTORS:

13. VULNERABILITY TO WARTIME ATTACK:

14. FLOOD AND FIRE CONTROL:

EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN THE PROJECT REPORT

1. DEPRECIATION:

2. FIXED ASSETS:

3. WORKING CAPITAL:

4. BREAK-EVEN POINT:

5. OTHER FIXED EXPENSES:

6. MARGIN MONEY:

7. TOTAL LOAD:

8. LAND AREA/MAN POWER RATIO:

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULES

INTRODUCTION

PROJECT HANDLING

PROJECT SCHEDULING

PROJECT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE

TIME SCHEDULE

ADDRESSES OF RAW MATERIAL SUPPLIERS

ADDRESSES OF PLANT AND SUPPLIERS

APPENDIX – A:

01. PLANT ECONOMICS

02. LAND & BUILDING

03. PLANT AND MACHINERY

04. OTHER FIXED ASSESTS

05. FIXED CAPITAL

06. RAW MATERIAL

07. SALARY AND WAGES

08. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS

09. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL

10. TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT

11. COST OF PRODUCTION

12. TURN OVER/ANNUM

13. BREAK EVEN POINT

14. RESOURCES FOR FINANCE

15. INSTALMENT PAYABLE IN 5 YEARS

16. DEPRECIATION CHART FOR 5 YEARS

17. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR 5 YEARS

18. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR (5 YEARS)